Manitoba worker safety news — Justice Minister Matt Wiebe introduced Manitoba Bill 56 on October 5, 2026, and it does something simple and overdue: it lets cannabis stores take the coverings off their windows so nobody working a shift is hidden from public view. If you work behind a cannabis counter in Manitoba, this bill was written for you.
By Maplestime News Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | October 6, 2026
Sources: Manitoba Government News Release, StratCann | Last updated: October 6, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Manitoba Bill 56, introduced October 5 by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, amends the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act to improve safety for cannabis store workers.
- Amendment one removes the requirement for cannabis stores to cover their storefront windows, so workers are visible from outside instead of secluded from public view.
- Amendment two gives the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA) the power to set mandatory minimum staffing levels during specified hours — no more workers left alone during higher-risk periods.
- If passed, Manitoba joins Alberta, B.C., and Ontario as the fourth province to remove the window-covering rule.
- The push follows violent incidents, including the sexual assault of a 24-year-old cannabis store employee on Isabel Street in May; UFCW Local 832 represents close to 200 cannabis store workers in the province.
What Manitoba Bill 56 Would Change
Start with the windows. Right now, Manitoba cannabis stores must keep their storefront windows covered — a rule meant to keep products out of sight. Manitoba Bill 56 removes that requirement. The logic is brutally practical: covered windows make a store look closed, quiet, and unwatched. For a worker alone behind the counter, that is not privacy. That is exposure.
The second change hits staffing. The bill gives the LGCA authority to establish mandatory minimum staffing levels during specified hours, meaning stores cannot leave a single worker alone when the risk is highest. Marie Buchan, secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 832, put the union’s position plainly: “Cannabis workers told us their top priority for safer workplaces was ensuring that no one is required to work alone.”
Who Is Backing Manitoba Bill 56
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe framed the bill as a response to the people doing the job: “The safety of Manitobans is always a main priority for this government, so when we heard from the Manitobans that work in these stores that this is what was needed to help keep them safe, we listened.” Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino said the government heard “loud and clear” from workers, labour representatives, and business owners that the change would go a long way toward keeping Manitobans safe — so they acted.
Labour leaders agree. Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour, called them “common-sense changes” that “will help to make these workplaces safer for workers and customers alike.” The industry is on board too. Melanie Bekevich, owner of Mistik Cannabis in Winnipeg and Nelson House, called it “the right decision,” and Omar Khan of High Tide Inc. — parent of Canna Cabana, which runs 12 Manitoba locations — called it “a positive step toward a more sensible, evidence-based regulatory framework.”
The Industry Behind the Bill
This is not a small sector. Manitoba sold $182.2 million worth of cannabis in the year ended March 31, 2026, with net income of $53.9 million. About 250 stores operate across the province. The bill follows a string of violent incidents, including the sexual assault of a 24-year-old cannabis store employee on Isabel Street in May — the kind of incident that makes covered windows and solo shifts feel less like regulation and more like a liability. If Manitoba Bill 56 passes, the province’s window rules fall in line with Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.
Maplestime will provide updates from Manitoba Bill 56 as announcements are made.
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Will clearer windows and no more solo shifts actually keep cannabis workers safe — or is the province fixing a window when it should be fixing the streets? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Canadian working a till alone at night.
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